Basketball Players fight ALS with Ten Years of Sweetness tournament at Colonial Middle School

Colonial Middle School students participate in the 10th annual 4 on 4 for a cure basketball tournament to benefit the ALS association of greater philadelphia Monday March 3, 2014. Photo by Gene Walsh / Times Herald Staff

PLYMOUTH — The sweet madness has begun at Colonial Middle School. The ceremonial first tap was tossed into the air Monday afternoon to mark the first round of the 10th Annual 4 on 4 for a Cure basketball tournament.

Basketball fans, people with a sweet tooth and those that want to join in the fight against ALS are encouraged to come out to the middle school’s five-day March Madness-style tournament entitled Ten Years of Sweetness.

All proceeds collected for 4 on 4 will be donated directly to the ALS research department of the University of Pennsylvania through the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the ALS Association.

Planning and organization for the tournament starts almost as soon as the previous year’s tournament concludes and continues throughout the school year, according to Colonial Middle School Guidance Counselor Matt Doroshow.

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Doroshow brought the tournament to the Colonial School District after beginning 4 on 4 for a Cure at Ridley Middle School.

Under the guidance of Doroshow, students who are part of the Hoops 4 Hope committee at the middle school pick the theme of the tournament, organize the various committee fundraisers, and some even act as scouting agents to recruit players.

This year, 404 students out of CMS’s 1100 signed up for the tournament and all 101 teams were broken into sixth, seventh and eighth grade brackets. The seventh grade teams kicked off the tournament Monday, with the sixth and eighth grade teams scheduled to play Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

“It gets ugly in the first rounds,” Doroshow said about some of the first round match-ups that can be a little lopsided. “Just like in the NCAA. Then it gets more competitive as it gets closer to the sweet sixteen.”

All of the teams from each grade bracket that make it to the sweet sixteen play on Thursday, followed by the elite eight and final four on Friday.

Students quickly let their creativity flow when they learned about the tournament’s theme this year. Picking from their favorite candy bars and other sweets, teams dubbed themselves the “Miami Heath Bars,” the “Dunkin’ Donuts,” or the “Dum Dum Dunkers.” One team went local with the “Seventy Snickers,” while others added some west coast controversy, calling themselves the “Los Angeles Bakers.”

Teams designed their own jerseys too, choosing colors and themes to match their names.

Students on the Hoops 4 Hope committee were in charge of running clocks, the snack bar and helping Doroshow announce the game from the sidelines.

Committee members working the snackbar — Remi Weinstein on the M&M’s, Molly Fair on the Chocolate Chip Cookies, Ryan Greenbaum on the Dunkin’ Donuts and Natalie Paskin — took a break to cheer on their schoolmates.

Paskin planned on playing this year, but went on the disabled list with a foot injury early in the season. She was disappointed but said it was still a lot of fun participating and seeing everyone make their jerseys.

“Last year I bedazzled mine,” Paskin said. “Some people use iron-on letters or tye-dye.”

Most of the committee members said it felt good to donate their time to a great cause.

Members Kaleigh Branagh and Alena Disanto played a vital role as the committee’s talent scouts. Branash and Disanto went around during the tournament’s free agency period to help find teammates for those who registered but did not have enough players for a full team.

“It’s so much better because you have more to say in what happens,” Branagh said about joining Hoops 4 Hope. “Instead of hearing it on the morning announcements you get to help spread the word.”

“Having fun in the tournament made us want to get more involved in such a good cause,” Branagh said.

“It’s good to know you’re helping find a cure for something that affects almost everyone,” Disanto added.

The committee also helps organize various fundraisers for ALS research and other causes throughout the year, according to Weinstein and Paskin. This year they had a Panera Bread fundraising night, where 20 percent of patrons’ bills went to the ALS fund.

There is no lack of community involvement in the 4 on 4 tournament, with Colonial Middle School teachers refereeing the games and special guests coming each day for the ceremonial first tap.

Doroshow’s friend whose father was recently diagnosed with ALS organized a fundraising event in conjunction with Colonial’s tournament. The friend’s children go to Central Bucks East and Holicong Middle School and helped to gather donations from members of their respective communities.

On Friday, the children from Holicong will come and present their donations to 4 on 4.

For Hoops 4 Hope President and M&M team member Tommy Weinstein, the tournament has a special connection.

The Sweet Shop will be serving Suzy Jo Donuts, cupcakes from Tracey and Malloree, basketball cake pops from Sweet Surprises, chocolate chip cookies from the Cake Boss, and pastries from Panera Bread.

Last year the tournament raised over $6,000, but Doroshow is hopeful 4 on 4 will break $10,000 this year. But to do so, 4 on 4 needs the community to come out, satisfy that sweet tooth, hoot and holler and help to fight ALS.

For more information on the tournament, including videos featuring the 4 on 4 official spokeswoman Miss Pennsylvania Intercontinental Julia Pauline, visit the 4 on 4 facebook page.